A Look at PHP 8.5: What's New, What's Deprecated, and What to Expect

PHP 8.5, slated for release in late 2025, is the latest incremental update to the popular scripting language. While it doesn't introduce a major paradigm shift like the move from PHP 7 to PHP 8, it does bring a number of quality-of-life improvements, new functions, and syntax enhancements aimed at making code cleaner, more readable, and more efficient. For developers, this release focuses on a refined developer experience, better debugging tools, and a continued commitment to modernizing the language.

#New Features & Enhancements 🚀

This release introduces several key features that will be particularly welcomed by developers:

• Pipe Operator (|>): This is arguably the most anticipated feature of PHP 8.5. The pipe operator allows you to chain a series of function calls in a more readable, left-to-right manner. Instead of nesting functions like trim(strtoupper('Hello World')), you can now write 'Hello World' |> strtoupper(...) |> trim(...), making the flow of data more intuitive. This syntax is familiar to developers of other functional languages and helps reduce the need for nested calls or temporary variables.

• New Array Functions (array_first() and array_last()): Complementing the existing array_key_first() and array_key_last() functions from PHP 7.3, PHP 8.5 introduces array_first() and array_last(). These functions provide a simple way to retrieve the first or last value of an array without needing to get the key first. This streamlines common array manipulations and enhances code readability.

• Better Error and Exception Handling: PHP 8.5 adds get_error_handler() and get_exception_handler() functions. These allow you to retrieve the currently active custom handlers, which is a significant improvement for debugging and building frameworks that need to chain or temporarily override handlers. The version also includes stack traces for fatal errors, which provides a full call stack on fatal errors, making it much easier to pinpoint the source of a problem.

• New cURL Function (curl_multi_get_handles()): For those working with asynchronous requests using cURL's multi-handle system, curl_multi_get_handles() provides a simple way to get all the handles associated with a multi-handle, which can simplify management and debugging of concurrent requests.

• Internationalization Features: The Intl extension gets a new locale_is_right_to_left() function (and its object-oriented equivalent, Locale::isRightToLeft()). This is useful for building applications that support right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew, as it allows for dynamic styling and layout adjustments.

#Deprecations and Backward Compatibility Issues ⚠️

As with any new major release, PHP 8.5 deprecates and removes old features to maintain a clean and modern codebase. While the changes are not as drastic as previous versions, it's important to be aware of them to ensure a smooth upgrade.

• Deprecation of MHASH constants: All constants prefixed with MHASH_ have been deprecated. Developers should transition to the more modern and secure alternatives provided by the Hash extension.

• Deprecation of non-string values from output handlers: Returning non-string values from a user output handler is now deprecated. This change enforces more predictable behavior for output handling.

• Deprecated custom output buffer handlers: Emitting output from custom output buffer handlers is deprecated, encouraging developers to use the standard output handling mechanisms.

#Performance and Outlook ⚡

PHP 8.5 continues the trend of incremental performance improvements. While you shouldn't expect a massive, game-changing speed boost over PHP 8.4, the constant optimizations, especially within the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler, contribute to a faster and more memory-efficient language. These small gains add up, especially for large-scale applications. The ongoing focus on code cleanup, better error reporting, and enhanced developer tools is part of a broader strategy to make PHP more robust and competitive.

The release of PHP 8.5 reinforces the language's commitment to modernization and a better developer experience. The new features, particularly the pipe operator, offer more elegant and expressive ways to write code, while the deprecations ensure the language continues to shed its legacy cruft. Developers and system administrators should plan for a smooth transition, as the changes are largely additive and focused on improving the day-to-day coding experience.